Headlight-lamp for automobiles.



S. BER'ENS.

HEADLIGHT LAMP FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 6. I914.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915 [TA/E5555. NVENTDR.

(/maa M,

ATTY.

STATES OFFICE.

STANISLAUS BERENB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HEADLIGHT- LAMP FOR AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STAmsLAUs Brianna, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Headlight- Lamps for Automobiles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lamps, and has particularrelation to headlight-lamps of motor vehicles and especiallyautomobiles, and itconsists in certain peculiarities of theconstruction, novel arrangementand o ration of the various parts thereofas Wlll be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

As is well known, many States and cities have passed and strictlyenforce laws and ordinances prohibiting the use of glaring and brillianthead-lights (unless dimmed) on vehicles while traveling on the streetsof cities and towns, on account of the blinding effect on pedestrians,who are frequentiy blinded and dazzled by said brilliant lights. andconsequently are unable to see the approaching vehicle. to avoid andprevent beinginjured thereby. These brilliant lights are very desirablefor use in country driving, as they clearly disclose, in darkness, tothe chauffeur or driver of the vehicle, the rats. obstacles andimperfections of the road to be avoided, and can be legally used oncountry roads.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the invention to provide alamp which isespecially intended to be used as a headlightlamp forautomobiles, but which is available for use as such lights on motorcycles, and other vehicles, if desired, as rear or side lights, andwhich shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durableand eflicient in operation.

A further object of the invention is as provide a lamp by which a lightof the ighest degree of brilliancy may be produced or provided, eitherbyelectricity or gas, and so diffused or refracted as to disclose thecharacter of the road or ground surface. without impairing the vision ofpedestrians or others.

Still another-object of the invention is to furnish means for adjustingthe brilliancy of the light as conditions may require.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in thesubjoined decription and explanation.

Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Patented A r..13, 1915.

Application filed July 6, 1814. Serial Io. 849,001.

In the accompanying drawing, which serves to illustrate theinvention-Figure 1 is a front view of a lamp. embodyin the invention;Fig. 2 is a central vertica sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2 ofFig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 3 is asimilar view, showing a modification in the construction of the lamp;Fig. 4 is a fiugmcntal front view of the body of the lamp with the frontcover u! plate rem ved and illustrating the means of securing the inner.translucent plate in position within the lamp body. and Fig. 5 is asectional view taken on line 5-5 of the inner translucentplate and itsholder;

Like numerals of reference refer to'correspondin parts throughout thedifferent views 0 the drawing.

The reference numeral 10 designates the body of the lamp, which may bemade of. any suitable size, form and material, but

preferably of sheet metal, and cylindrical in shape. with its frontportion somewhat circum ferentially enlarged, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4inclusive of the drawing. Fitted in the rear portion of the body 10 orlamp casing is a reflector 11 of the ordinary or any'preferredconstruction, which reflector may be held in position by any'suitablemeans. Extended upwardly through the lower portion of the body or casing10 is a tube 12, which may have communication with a supply of gas (notshown) and said tube is equipped at its upper end with a burner 13 ofany desired construction or kind. At its front end the casing or body 10has secured thereto, and usually by means of a hinge 14 a cover carryinring 15, which has fitted therein-a plate 0 "glam or other suitabletransparent or semi-transparent material 16, which constitutes thefrontplate or covering of the lam This front plate is by preference ma eof glass and has its upper portion rendered translucent by being groundor otherwise suitably prepared. The translucent portion of the plate 16is indicated by the reference numeral 17, and as shown in Fig. 1 issegmental in shape, with its lower edge disposed at a slight distancebelow a horizontal line drawn through the center of said plate. Belowthe lower edge of the translucent portion 17 the plate 16 is lefttransparent as is indicated by the reference numeral 18. whichtransparent portion is also segmental in form as shown.

The ring 15 which holds the front plate or cover 16 may be fastened tothe casing 10 by means of a catch 19 of any suitable construction, whichis by preference located diametrically opposite the hinge 14 whichsecures the ring to the casing. It will be understood, however, that thering 15 may be attached to the front end of the casing 10 in anysuitable or desired way. Inwardly of the front end of the casing, and bypreference at the contracted portion of the enlargement of said casingis located a channeled holder 20 for the inner translucent plate 21,which is segmental in shape, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawing, and is of sutlicient size so that when placed in the holder 20therefor its upper edge will be located about on a line with the loweredge of the translucent-portion l? of the front plate. At one of itsends the holder 20 is closed, as shown in Fig. 5, but has its other endopen so that the plate 21 may be readily removed from the channel ofsaid holder, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 4 of thedrawing, in which figure the plate 21 is shown by dotted lines in theact of being removed from its holder. Near the open end of the holder 20a spring fastener 22 is secured at one of its ends, which fastener hasat its upper end a shoulder 23 to rest on the upper edge of the plate 21so as to hold the same in position in the holder 20 until it is desiredto remove said plate, which can be doneby pressing the spring 22outwardly until the shoulder '23 thereof is removed from the plate 21,when it is apparent said late may be lifted from the holder, thusallowing the light to be reflected through the transparent portion 18 ofthe front late without hindrance or without bcin di used, which isdesirable on country roa After the plate 21 has been removed, it isevident that the translucent portion 17 of the front plate will sodiffuse the light as to prevent glaring or binding effect onpedestrians.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modification in the construction of the lamp, inwhich the construction is identical with that above described, exceptthat the rear portion of the lamp casing 15 provided with a socket 24,in,

which is fitted a plug 25 of an electric light bulb or lam 26, which mayhave connectlon in the usua manner with a supply of electricity (notshown): \Vhen the electric lamp is employed, a reflector 27, extendingfrom the contracted portion of the casing 10 to the rear end of thecasing, and surrounding the bulb 26, is employed. When the translucentplate 21 is in position within the casing, it is obvious that thebrilliant or unditlused light will be reflected downwardly and forwardlyon about the lines indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2 of the dra winand that the translucent portion 17 of the rout plate and thetranslucent plate 21 will diffuse the light thrown in a straight lineforwardly, so that the vision of pedestrians will not be im aired.

Having thus fully escribed my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is- 1. 'In a headlight-lamp, the combinationwith a casing having at its rear inner portion a reflector, of a lightproducer within the casing, a cover transversely mounted on the front ofthe casing and having an upper translucent portion and a lowertransparent portion, and a translucent plate located transversely of thecasing inwardly of the transparent portion of the cover and in front ofsaid light producer.

2. In a headlight-lamp, the combination with a casing having at its rearinner portion a reflector, of a light producer within the casing, acover plate transversely and removably mounted on the front of theeasing and having its upper portion transluoent and its lower portiontrans arent, and a translucent plate removably ocated transversely ofthe casing inwardly of the transparent portion of the cover plate.

STANISLAUS BE'RENS.

Witnesses Cass. C. Truman,

A. S. Panama.

